He Núñez Monumental Stadium will be the scene of the final of the edition of the Copa Libertadores 2024. Conmebol confirmed this Friday that the River field will host the decisive match of the most important club tournament on the continent. The final will be played on November 30 and Marcelo Gallardo’s team will have the opportunity to define the title at home. First they will have to overcome Atlético Mineiro in the semifinals. On the other side, Botafogo and Peñarol will play for the other ticket.
The last five editions of the Libertadores were for Brazilian teams (Flamengo in 2019 and 2022, Palmeiras in 2020 and 2021 and Fluminense in 2023) and this year both River Plate and Peñarol seek to end Brazilian hegemony. Like Flu in the last edition, which could have been champions at the Maracaná, River now has the chance to define in its stadium, although it will have to give up half of the seats. We will have to wait to know the details, but since it is considered a “neutral” stadium, River will not have its entire stadium for its fans.
Meanwhile, the champion will also qualify for the Club World Cup. And there a new person appears: Olympia of Paraguay. The Dean will wear the River shirt, since the team Millionaire He already got his ticket to the FIFA tournament based on Conmebol ranking. Therefore, if Marcelo Gallardo’s team is champion, it will free up a place for the best classified in the ranking that already has Boca Juniors classified, so the ticket would be for the Paraguayans.
Semifinal 1: River Plate vs Atlético Mineiro
With the arrival of Doll Gallardo, the Millionaire was renewed and after a very active transfer market he strengthened himself to be among the best four teams on the continent: Germán Pezzella, Marcos Acuña, Adam Bareiro and Maxi Meza, among others, arrived to put together a very competitive squad that besides will define the home series thanks to having been the best in the group stage, when Martín Demichelis was the coach.
River, then, beat Talleres de Córdoba in the round of 16 (1-0 win in Córdoba and 2-1 in the Monumental). And they sealed their qualification to the semifinals after drawing 1-1 with Colo-Colo in Santiago and beating them 1-0 in Buenos Aires thanks to Facundo Colidio’s goal.
He Gabriel Milito’s Atlético Mineiro had it more complicated. They showed a weak level against San Lorenzo in the round of 16 (1-1 in the Nuevo Gasómetro and 1-0 in Belo Horizonte). But his football resurfaced in the quarterfinals against Fluminense. They won 2-0 at home thanks to Deyverson’s double and reversed the 1-0 lead in the first leg, at the Maracaná, against the last champion.
Atlético Mineiro will be local at the MRV Arena in Belo Horizonte before River on Tuesday, October 22 (at 9:30 p.m., Argentina time) and then Gallardo’s team will be home to the Monumental in the rematch, on Tuesday, October 29, at 9:30 p.m.
Semifinal 2: Peñarol vs Botafogo
Without a doubt, the key between the Uruguayans and the Cariocas was the least thought of for this instance before the mata-mata crossings. Manya, with Diego Aguirre as coach, reached the semifinals for the first time in 13 years and is seeking its sixth Copa Libertadores after the conquests in 1960, 1961, 1966, 1982 and 1987. Meanwhile, the Stoveseeks to win the title for the first time in its history to stop being the only team from Rio de Janeiro without winning the South American trophy.
Peñarol has just left behind The Strongest (4-0 in Montevideo and 0-1 in La Paz) and Flamengo, after hitting the Maracaná with a historic 1-0 victory with Javier Cabrera’s goal and closing the classification with a goalless draw in their stadium.
Meanwhile, Botafogo, one of the teams that had the best performance in the group stage, left Palmeiras behind in the round of 16. They won 2-1 on their home court, the Nilton Santos Stadium, and held a 2-2 draw as a visitor to reach the quarterfinals. They drew goalless against San Pablo at home and won on penalties at the Morumbí after drawing 1-1 in the 90 minutes thanks to the goal from Argentine Thiago Almada.
In the semifinals, Botafogo will be home to Peñarol in the first leg on Wednesday, October 23. And the Uruguayan team will host the Cariocas at the Campeón del Siglo Stadium on Wednesday, October 30, for a place in the final.